Is there an impenetrable divide between the state and private sectors? The government certainly doesn't think so: it is desperately keen to get both sides working together, encouraging independents to sponsor academies and support other underperforming maintained schools.

It is among the coalition's favourite headline-friendly stories - just look at the publicity that surrounded Eton's decision last month to start a state-funded boarding school.

Another area in which the private sector is being invited to play a part - but which has escaped much notice - is teaching schools. This is the special status given to the outstanding schools being tasked with taking over much of the training of new and existing teachers. It is part of the government's very real desire to completely overhaul the age-old university and college-based system.

So far 350 schools have won teaching school status, but to date just one independent, King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham, has been given the role, which will see it training teachers for the state sector.

But today news broke that should have ministers hollering from the rooftops in Whitehall: the prestigious Wellington College has joined King Edward VI.

The school's high-profile headmaster, Anthony Seldon, said the involvement of independent schools would be responsible for "smashing down the barriers between both sectors". "Now we can work side by side and realise that we share far more in common - namely, teaching children to the best of our ability - than divides us," he said today.

"This ushers in a new era in the relationship between state and independent sector working together. Throughout the 20th century, state and independent schools were handicapped by working almost entirely in silos."

Wellington and King Edward VI are not alone, being joined by Guildford High School. Head Fiona Boulton told TES she also feels strongly that the independent and state sectors can learn from each other, and share the secrets behind their "dynamic practices".

It remains to be seen if projects like this will indeed break down barriers between teachers in state and independent schools - are the differences too entrenched? But it is worth remembering that for years the public sector has trained almost all teachers, only to see a chunk disappear into private schools, so at the very least this could be seen as something of a balancing out.